How to Rob a Bank (with Identity Theft not a gun)!

I hope all of you saw the CNN special "How to Rob a Bank" a show that " ... takes a look at how thieves exploit stolen identities to bilk banks and cheat credit card companies."

I tuned in to "learn more about the blueprint of modern-day bank robberies."

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/presents/index.rob.bank.html/index.html

The program was frightening and also enfuriating!

Frightening because listen to what on Id theft said on the show -

• "Jason Michael Carpenter, a convicted identity thief who is serving 17-and-a-half years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and fraud in connection with access devices, says stealing identities was fun and "incredibly easy."

Fun and easy!? What the hell is this a video game?

Cnn asked: ... "Where did you figure out how it all works -- in chat rooms?"

• CARPENTER answers: "Pretty much in chat rooms and just reading it. Since I've ... always been around computers, (the) computer comes naturally to me. ... You'd be surprised the amount of credit card information that is actually circulated around the Internet. And once you get a hold of it, you just figure out how can you use it, if you want to. ..."

The show revealed that a lot of Nigerians in the Houston, Texas area are involved in ID theft. What a surprise to those of us who have been receiving the "Nigerian Scam" letters "Dear Sir: I am the daughter of Abasanjo Ubatge the former banking minister of Nigeria. I have a trust fund my late father left me in the USA and I need your help to release these funds..." etc., etc.

The CNN site has some excellent material. I only hope they put up and leave up their special so everyone in the US can see it. The slide show and other special stories about the cases documented in the special are good reading.

It should be required viewing with a big quiz at the end for every person in law enforcement, government, education, health care, insurance, banking, and business. YOU are the ones who can put a crimp in ID theft. Your stupidity and lack of respnsibility has brought us to this point.

This week my friend was required to give her Social Security number three times on the phone! Mandatory! No SS # no blood exam, no credit card, and one more i cannot mention. Three times in one week!

This must change.